A Northumberland cricket club found itself on a sticky wicket following its bid for a booze licence.

Riding Mill Sports Club had asked for Northumberland County Council to grant permission for alcohol sales to be allowed seven days a week at the site.

But club bosses were forced to plead their case to licensing chiefs for the county after concerns were raised about the hours requested and possibility of “noise, litter and drunken behaviour” from fans and players.

“We’re trying to turn it more into a community asset than just a cricket club,” Peter Nitsch, the club’s chairman, told the county council’s Licensing Hearing.

“Part of the rationale for the application for [an alcohol licence] stems, primarily, from [the county council’s business and development officer] who suggested it, looking at the long term feasibility of maintaining and taking the club further on.

“Our aim is to maintain the club using funding from the sale of alcohol to try to grow and keep it going through, as you would appreciate, troubled times with Covid, when we were financially hit, as well as going into the future.”

According to a report for county councillors, bosses at the club had asked for permission to sell alcohol between:

Noon – 11pm, Monday – Thursday

Noon – 11.30pm on Fridays

11am – 11.30pm on Saturdays

11am – 10.30pm on Sunday

No objections or comments on the proposals were submitted by Northumbria Police, the fire service or any local authority departments.

Several objections were submitted by families living nearby, however, claiming excessive drinking during or after matches was already causing a nuisance, a problem which granting a formal alcohol licence would “exacerbate”.

Martin Baird, who submitted a written objection to the council, told the panel: “The cricket club is tiny, it’s a little wooden hut, and for years that’s how it operated and was great.

“But unfortunately, during the summer and during the lockdown period it operated as an unofficial bar and people do drink outside.

“It’s a very quiet area and people living there should have a right to not be disturbed by noise or nuisance.”

He added: “I also worry about the professionalism of the bar committee intending to take this role on and because of the previous experience we’ve had with it operating over lockdown.”

A decision on the application is expected to be confirmed in the coming days.